The pavilion is so fragile it breaks easily.
The middle-aged man's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Tang San, his voice filled with grief and indignation.
Tang San was taken aback; he hadn't expected this middle-aged man to understand the cruelty of war so well. Indeed, if they lost this war, the lives of ordinary people would become even more difficult. But if this war wasn't fought, and the Spirit Hall Empire grew stronger, what would the future hold?
Tang San took a deep breath and said in a solemn voice, "We must fight for our country, we must win this war. This is for our country, for our people, for our future! We cannot choose to run away just because this war may bring pain and sacrifice. I know your concerns, but I want to tell you that the country will not abandon any of its people. If we can make our country stronger through this war, then our lives will be better in the future!"
"Your words can only fool civilians who have never experienced war! Your high-sounding words can only fool those who have never been on the battlefield! You make it sound so easy, do you know that on the battlefield, one wrong move and you're dead? Do you know how powerful the Soul Master of the Spirit Hall Empire are? The Spirit Hall Empire only sent one Soul Master, and he wiped out an entire battalion of my brothers..." The middle-aged man roared loudly.
Tang San's eyes were also filled with determination, "Of course I know that the Spirit Hall Empire's Soul Master are very strong. But we are not to be trifled with! We also have powerful Soul Master, we also have a powerful army! We have the support of countless people, we have the sacrifices of countless individuals! We have countless heroes fighting for our country!"
"You, a mere advisor who only knows how to engage in lofty rhetoric, have absolutely no understanding of the lives of ordinary people! If you truly cared, why don't you go and observe the people's plight? Why don't you genuinely understand those who have lost their families in the war?"
The middle-aged man's chest heaved violently as he stared intently at Tang San. "I don't know where you, this so-called Imperial Advisor, came from, but let me tell you this: if you don't truly care about the people, if you only want to use this war to gain personal benefits, then I, Ma Baoguo, will be the first to object!"
The middle-aged man stirred up the crowd's emotions, and everyone present became agitated, joining in the condemnation of Tang San.
"Yes, Ma Baoguo is right!" A thin, middle-aged man stepped forward. He was Ma Baoguo's neighbor and had been taking care of Ma Baoguo's family since Ma Baoguo joined the army.
"Grand Preceptor, you can't just think about those powerful and wealthy people. Have you ever thought about the lives of us common folk? During the war, prices skyrocketed. What used to be a Silver Soul Coin that could buy a large bag of rice has now risen to ten Gold Soul Coin. We common folk simply can't afford to eat." The thin middle-aged man's voice was filled with grief and indignation.
"You can easily defeat the Soul Master of the Spirit Hall Empire on the battlefield, but if you don't die on the battlefield, but die in the mouths of our people, can your soul rest in peace?" Another middle-aged man stepped forward.
Tang San's expression grew even more grim. He truly hadn't considered the lives of ordinary people. At this moment, he hadn't realized that this war wasn't a simple battle between Soul Master, but a contest between two nations.
Tang San took a deep breath. "I thank you for your kindness, but I must tell you that we must win this war! Nothing can stop us from advancing! If anything does, we will eliminate it!"
Upon hearing this, Ma Baoguo burst into laughter, "What a joke! You're nothing but a national advisor, who do you think you are? Do you think you're a god? If you're not a god, then get the hell out of here! We don't need a national advisor like you who only knows how to talk big!"
Tang San's face was extremely gloomy. His speech had begun to stir people's hearts, and the people present were starting to waver. It was all because of this old soldier named Ma Baoguo who had ruined everything. At this moment, his eyes were filled with murderous intent as he looked at Ma Baoguo.
In his heart, he had already sentenced Ma Baoguo to death. However, Tang San was in no hurry to make a move because he was the Imperial Preceptor and represented the face of the country. He could not directly attack Ma Baoguo in front of so many people.
While doing so might vent his anger, it would also cause him, the imperial advisor, to lose face.
"You still haven't answered my question! Do you even care about the lives of us ordinary people? Why don't you really try to understand our lives? Why don't you really try to understand those who lost their families in the war?" Ma Baoguo shouted again, his voice even louder than before.
"I..." Tang San was speechless after being asked by Ma Baoguo; he truly hadn't thought about these things.
Seeing Tang San's gloomy face, Ma Baoguo felt a surge of satisfaction. He finally had a chance to vent his anger. Without showing any weakness, he shouted at Tang San, "Compared to the previous Imperial Preceptor, you are far inferior in both eloquence and intellect. I now seriously suspect that the rumors circulating outside are true. His Majesty actually did not want to start a war at all. You coerced him with force!" Tang San's face turned red from Ma Baoguo's continuous loud questioning, and he did not know how to answer.
At this moment, in a high-rise building in Heaven Dou Square, Xue Qinghe and Ning Fengzhi were sitting in the pavilion, watching the farce unfolding before them.
Their gazes all fell on Tang San. Xue Qinghe's face was full of mockery, while Ning Fengzhi wore a faint smile.
"Looks like this Tang San isn't all-powerful after all. Wasn't he quite arrogant before, thinking he could convince everyone? Now it seems he's just a good-for-nothing," Xue Qinghe said mockingly. Ning Fengzhi said calmly, "He's still young after all. Although he's smart, there are some things he hasn't thought through comprehensively enough."
Xue Qinghe said dismissively, "He has no idea what the people want. From beginning to end, he has always stood on the opposite side of the enemy."
Ning Fengzhi slightly, "A person who is detached from the people, no matter how much power or strength he has, is nothing but a castle in the air, which can be shattered with a single blow."
" Tang San still hasn't realized where he went wrong. Even if he genuinely cares about the people, he hasn't understood what they truly want. Most people just want enough to eat and drink, and a peaceful life; wealth and glory are secondary. But Tang San hasn't considered these things at all. Right now, he's completely enraged by Ma Baoguo; he can no longer tolerate Ma Baoguo." Xue Qinghe smiled faintly. "As expected of someone chosen by our teacher, Tang San was rendered speechless. With just that sharp tongue, even if he didn't join the army, his life wouldn't be too bad."
(End of this chapter)